you are going to try to

figure how this will impact the race. he didn't appeal to independent voters. small percentage sitting at hope trying to figure out who they will vote for. not who he was reaching out to. trying to reach out to democrats he made them feel belter after president obama's poor performance last week. >> thank you, karen. campaign manager, chimed in for obama said when the other side is spending their time talking about facial gestures and laughing you know they had a bad night. again, substance in that debate. people focus on that. >> need a paul ryan thirsty. >> cotton mouth last night. >> the big debate, we want to know who you thought won the vice presidential debate. make sure you weigh in at wnnfans.com. and the fbi is asking the public for help finding a suspect in the disappearance of jessica ridgeway. the colorado girl disappeared a weak ago on her way to school, a body believed to be hers has

been found. experts say the suspect most likely a male, may have unexplaned absences from work or may have just changed his appearance, with a kind of car that he drives. the number of deaths from that meningitis outbreak continues to rise. 14 people have now died. and about 170 others have gotten sec after receiving the tainted steroid shots. federal health officials have tracked 12,000 of the roughly 14,000 people who have received the shots. doctors are warning that patients will need to keep watch for symptoms of the deadly infection for a few more months. frightening. no secret that the u.s. postal service has been bleeding red ink for years. so, they really shouldn't be surprised at all that postal rates are going up again. starting, are you surprised really? >> stunned. >> i know you are not. starting january 27th, the price of a first-class stamp increases to 46 cents. rates on shipping services like prior female are also going up

by 4%. you write a lot of letters. >> raise it to $1. leave us alone. rip the band-aid off. marine biologists are baffled by something that washed ashore the you might call it old blue eye. about the size of a softball. probably belongs to some kind of creature. the problem is they don't know what kind of creature. now it is on ice until biologists can determine the species. what pretty blue eyes that thing has. ha-ha. >> kind of frightening and bizarre all in one. it washed up. mm. >> just washed up. eye opening. >> very eye opening. we have an eye out for good stories don't we. a look at the weather. hail and high wind. >> hail? >> i love saying hail. wichita, west texas. showers, thunderstorms from southern cali to new mexico. 4 to 8 inches of snow in the rockies. you can get your ski on. showers from seattle to

portland. chilly blast in the midwest. as well as northeast. >> sound a little bit like paula dean. >> paula dean. you know i like me some mbacon wrapped mac and cheese. mostly 70s from finphoenix billings. for the first time in one month, our friend robin roberts enjoying comforts of home and fresh air. >> look at that. robin celebrated with family, friend, hospital staff as she was released from the hospital. following the bone marrow transplant for the rare blood disorder she suffers from. robin's doctors say the first big step in the road to recovery. she still need time to rebelled her immune system and get it back up. >> robin plans to get plenty of rest until she gets the all clear. meantime, a string of celebrity guest hosts are keeping her seat warm at the "gma" anchor desk. can't wait to have her back,

healthy. she looks beautiful. >> thinking of you, robin. congratulations. the funniest things we have seen from vice presidents at their debate. >> you are watching "world news now." we'll be right back. ♪ i want to know ♪ what's so funny >> announcer: "world news now" weather -- brought to you by colonial penn life insurance. it's time to change the way we clean.

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plus it's four times stronger than the leading value brand. and you can use up to four times less. charmin ultra strong. one thing i want to know. what's so funny ♪ >> now that the vice presidential debate has wrapped up we thought we would look back at some of the debates from the past that have provided, a lot of fodder for political satire.

>> abc's jonathan karl shows us some of the funniest moments from debate's past. >> reporter: ah, the vice presidency. two vps ended up on mount rushmore, and more than a dozen eventually became president. let's be candid, the office of vice president has usually been rodney dangerfield of american politics. >> no respect. >> reporter: look at the tv show "veep." playing a vp with almost nothing to do. it's not a new phenomenon, the very first veep, dramatized on "john adams" put it best all. paw i am vice president, yes and in this i am nothing. but i may be everything. >> reporter: over the years there have been sordid characters in the office, vice president tom ptompkins, often drunk, congress refused to pay full salary.

vice president dan quayle had real responsibilities, but may best be remembered for this ill-fated spelling lesson. at 1992, debate, ross perot's runningmate may have unwittingly spoken for all vps. >> who am i? why am i here? >> reporter: recently vice presidents have become more important. dick cheney so powerful that some actually thought he was pulling the strings in the oval office. >> and i am as thrilled as is medically peru didnrudent for m having been elected your new vice president. >> reporter: powerful or not, the vp is still good for a few laughs. >> you are a great vice president, joe. >> some people say i would make a great president. better than you even. >> reporter: jonathan karl, danville, kentucky. >> all good stuff, guys. all right, it is the weekend. it is fall. that means the time is right for some tail gating. >> that's what i'm talking about. next! this guy is hanging out with chief entertaining officer, tim

laird, for some fantastic prefootball festivities and recipes. but you got to stay with us.

>> welcome back, everybody the you know there is one thing we love on the show it is eating here. i am devouring this tasty treat right here. you won't believe what this is. stay with us. a segment after my own heart. going to be after yours as well. it is all about tail gating. it is football season now. every good tailgate, should be tasty, easy, memorable, from food, drinks to the dessert. unbelievable. chief entertaining officer, tim laird, author of "that's entertaining" don't worry about the spoon the i made the request about a manly tailgate. you delivered. chocolate-covered bacon.

delicious. get to that in just a second. you have come with a full spread to night of good stuff. walk us through. >> you go out, rob. tell you that was the challenge. we want to take back the man cave, have fun. make it easy. all about watching the game not doing all the prep in the kitchen. still make it delicious. >> amen. >> for anybody who plays poker, a pare of jacks to open. i thought here is my cocktail, a pair of jacks. real easy. basically take a glass of ice. tailgate party. use the plastic. >> keep it casual. don't want to do dishes. >> put an ounce of jack daniels in there. >> there you go. it's done. >> top off with coke or cola. the pair of jacks. top it off with a half ounce of jack daniels tennessee honey. my pair of jacks. i made yours light. you got to continue to work. >> you are a good man. a good man. >> sip of each. cheers, happy tailgating. >> tim. that honey jack daniels is

delicio delicious. good stuff. >> really delicious. make that drink. oh, gosh -- just to make sure. i just want to. uh-huh. oh, yeah. >> yes. >> my old friend jack, captain jack, got to love him. >> here is a fun side. i found this at a couple convenience stores, it's string cheese mixed with beef jerky. all in one. i tell you the snack patrol people. put it together. string cheese, beef jerky all in one. oh, yeah. all we need is a cold beer. or soft drink. this is it. >> all my favorite food groups in one bite. jerky and cheese. brilliant to put it together. i love that. >> isn't it great. handy. here is another one. number one requested recipe out of the tailgating section. this is our buffalo chicken dip. and this is super easy. >> bring it on. >> everything in there. basically, rob, two eight ounce packages of cream cheese, throw

it in a role. two cups chicken breast diced up. get your deli. boom, goes in just look that. eight ounces of, chunky blue cheese dressing. >> all right. >> ranch. i like blue cheese. >> good flavor. good flavor. >> heat the up. >> whole thing. >> goes in there. there it is. >> look at that. >> oh. all that goodness. >> little kick. little kick. >> you want hotter. put more. that's it. stir that up. goes into an oven. stir it up. put it in a pan. put sharp cheddar on the top. goes in, 350 degrees. 20 minutes. what you get. this beautiful, i mean, look at this. look at this. >> i got to get in there. got to get in there. >> dig in. dig in. get the chicken. get the blue cheese. >> oh, man. >> that's good. for your pork sandwiches. >> yes. >> see what this says, fully cooked, heat and serve.

fully cooked, heat and serve. >> easy, easy. >> don't worry about time in the kitchen. about the game. >> jack daniels. all comes back to jack. from the drink to the sandwich. >> always bring joke to your tailgate party. loves to be there. >> loyal friend. >> dessert, where are we going? started out with this. >> become to the bacon. >> you had a special friend dip these. >> actually go to your favorite chocolateer, have them make the chocolate covered bacon. salt, sweet. >> that is beautiful. >> oh, man. >> my two favorite food groups. chocolate, bacon. >> what a way to end the tailgating party. >> fun, tasty, easy, enjoy the game and football season. >> it is great. >> tim, our love affair continues today. one of my favorite spreads you have done. you do good stuff. >> tailgate on, rob. >> happy football watching. the staff is going to eat now, you belttter believe that. chief entertaining officer tim

laird. recipes on wnnfans.com. we'll be right back with more "world news now" after this. ♪ new pink lemonade 5-hour energy? 5-hour energy supports the avon foundation for women breast cancer crusade. so i can get the energized feeling i need and support a great cause? i'm sold. pink lemonade 5-hour energy? yeah and a portion of every sale goes to the avon foundation for women breast cancer crusade. i'm sold. new pink lemonade 5-hour energy. get the alert, energized feeling you need and support breast cancer research and access to care. that's a good thing, but it doesn't cover everything. only about 80% of your part b medical expenses.

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>> rob, the said company that will rule out said seasonal flavors, including, pumpkin pie spice, white peppermint chocolate, cinnamon sugar. what would you think for gum? >> no. i know better. >> pringles, pumpkin pie spice, not revolting. sugar cinnamon is like cinnamon toast crunch on a potato chip. white chocolate peppermint, mouth wash gone bad and put it on a potato chip. all seasonal, $1.79. >> we like buffalo wing. >> great. >> religional. fun. mexican layer dip. thank you for pringles in the holiday spirit.

you well love this one. everyone loves a hot tub. lot of things can happen in a hot tub. including exercise. >> what kind of exercise. >> fit jet bike. this thing can work in the hot tub, do, get on this bike. they say 30 minutes on this is equivalent of two hours on a standard bike. benefits of working out in the water. blood flow, muscles. that kind of thing. off awe right on. >> out there available. all the thing you can doen the hot tub, that is probably my fourth or fifth favorite. exercise. it's friday. here is your polka! ♪ politics and foreign wars all the weather all the scores ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ tapes that roll in way too slow stuff you saw on koppel's show ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ it's late at night you're wide awake and you're not wearing pants ♪ ♪ so grab your "world news now" mug and everybody dance ♪

♪ have some fun be a pal every anchor guy and gal ♪ ♪ do the "world news" polka everybody! ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ insomniacs only ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ who cares what the bosses think they're a goofy crew ♪ >> no clue. ♪ and if your neighbors call the cops here's all you have to do ♪ ♪ move ♪ when they yell it's half past three tell them hey it's news to me ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ they make us work the graveyard shift that's why we go for broke ♪ ♪ so why not tune in abc and join our little joke ♪ >> ha-ha-ha! ♪ five whole days every week ♪ we're here with a tongue in cheek and the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ not lip synched it's the "world news" -- ♪ ♪ da da da da -- polka

this morning on "world news now" -- head-to-head. the vice presidential candidates put on a show that everyone expected and tackle some tough issues in between their preplanned lines. >> an evening full of sharp punches and counterpunches which both candidates hoped helped shape the election. it's friday, october 12th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good friday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm just glad you got out of jury do the. you are here. told the judge i was going on vacation next week. took mercy on me. my name didn't pop up in the jury lottery here. i'm good for six years. >> on vacation with your dad no

less and the boys. >> exactly. should be good next week. >> take photos. >> not till thursday. >> i'm paula faris, two hours of television that wouldn't allow you to look away. this morning the spin is pouring in. >> all way the spin room afterward. we well of course have complete coverage of last night's big veep debate. a look at stories we'll follow in this half-hour. the outbreak, bordering on ep d dem -- epidemic. cases of meningitis and more reported every day. still ahead, a story sure to get lots of folks talking. michael vick is a dog owner no longer banned from having a pet. the former dog fight organizer confirms he and his family they own a canine. >> he said he wants to -- he said he wants to teach his kids, you know, the right way to treat animals now. i think he has gotten credit out there for trying to seek redemption on the issue. people are like i can believe

it. do we not give people a second shot. do people not change their ways. i don't know. also the story we wanted to hear for the past month. finally home sweet home for our one and only robin roberts. our friend, of course, "gma" co-anchor, sleeping in her own bed again after 30 days in the hospital. looking good too. an update on her condition we will have for you this morning and extreme gratitude at being back in her own space the a long time in the hospital, has been through the chemo, bone marrow transplant. back home. imagine after that kind of pre se -- procedure what it must feel like in her own bed in her own house in new york. >> unbelievable disposition, rejoicing, thankful, grateful, blessed. >> if the spirit is strong. welcome home. first a little politics. vice presidential debate, joe biden and paul ryan, joe biden's friend, walked in.

looking look they were ready for a showdown. >> they were. and they delivered. sparring over everything from libya to the economy to medicare to abortion. and with just 25 days left until the election, the question is did either one manage to sway those all-important, undecided voters the abc's karen travers is in danville, kentucky with more on the big veep stakes. good morning, karen. >> reporter: good morning, rob. good morning, paula. they certainly got to a wide range of topics in last night's debate. that was in just 90 minutes. vice president biden and congressman paul ryan came ready for battle and effectively made their arguments. this is no surprise to you guys there at home. here in kentucky both side are claiming victory. both vice president biden and

congressman paul ryan aggressively challenged the other ticket's positions. it began on foreign policy an last month's attack on the american consulate in libya. ryan slammed the administration for a slow response. >> it took the president two weeks to acknowledge this was a terrorist attack. >> with all due respect that is a bunch of malarkey. >> reporter: ryan said that the obama administration allowed iran to get closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon. >> it's because this add strag has no credibility on this issue. >> these are the most crippling sanctions in the history of sanctions. >> reporter: president obama was criticize ford being too pass if antietam laif -- passive in last week's debate. vice president biden seemed determined to not make the same mistake. >> shouldn't be surprising for a guy who says 47% of the american people are unwilling to take responsibility for their own lives. they pay more respective tax than governor romney pays in his federal income tax. >> reporter: ryan said the administration failed the middle class. >> we're going in the wrong direction. look where we are. the economy is barely limping along. >> reporter: side by side at the same table, biden and ryan were not shy about directly engaging each other. sometimes with harsh attacks. sometimes with humor. >> i think the vice president very well knows that sometimes the word don't come out of your mouth the right way.

>> but i always say what i mean. >> reporr: with the polls tightening, the president needs to fire up his democratic base, while romney need to convert 2008 obama voters. rob, paula, last night here in kentucky, both of them got a lot of help from their running mates. >> karen, can we say there was a winner? can we call it a draw? i was looking at several polls, three gave it to paul ryan. three gave the to joe biden. was there a winner? or was this a tie? >> yeah, paula those instant reactions were showing voters were evenly split. but i think if you have to pick who really got what they wanted to get out of this debate it was vice president biden. the democrats are very happy because he basically stopped the bleeding from last weak's, the president's performance at last week's debate. he did two things very well. one, he promoted the president's policies and defended the president's record and did it by connecting with voters.

and, that's not something that president obama was able to do last week. he also cam out aggressively against the romney policies by going after paul ryan very strongly. that is also something we didn't see last week from president obama. but congressman ryan really held his own tonight. i think they did an effective job. of course as i said earlier. both side are claiming victory. this is really setting up a narrative going into next week's debate between the president and mitt romney. >> draw probably is the best word, karen. do you think from your perspective, this changes the race in any significant way? or is this kind of a footnote? >> yeah, it is unlikely it will shake up this race in any major way. because vice presidential debates don't usually do that. remember this is really all about the person at the top of the ticket. president obama/mitt romney. what this does do, give democrats a little bounce in their step. there were some very nervous democrats over the last week so despondent over the president's

performance didn't want to have to come out and see vice president biden lose. they would be 0-2. there are four debates. three weeks left off to the election. don't want to have to be spinning over four days. why they haven't been able to promote their message. sets up president obama, gives him more momentum. effectively stops whatever maybe mitt romney had coming out of last week's debate. >> abc's karen travers live for us there in kentucky. thank you, karen. appreciate it. fascinating night i thought. karen hid two great points. on the plus side, paul ryan stood his own against somebody, 40 years experience in government. on the other hand. folks who support obama saw in joe biden an aggressiveness and passion and defense of the administration you did not get from the president. not nearly as vigorous one last week. in that sense a draw. they both did what they had to do. all comes back down to tuesday night. that really is going to be probably the clutch debate.

>> tuesday is the second presidential debate. that is going to be held at hofstra university, moderated by a woman, candy crowley of cnn. townhall style including foreign policy. i just was, what struck me is that it is really split. i think they bethoth appealed t their base. from some polls, women were turned off bay interrupting and laughing joe biden. a lot of people calling for more substance explanation from paul ryan. >> on the other side, if women were turned off by the most tense question of the night the one about role with religion and abortion. clearly paul ryan made it clear, he is pro-life. joe gave a nuanced, answer, look, in my personal life, i accept catholic church's teachings on this. i will not impose that on anybody else. watching the network they do the kind of, polling, kind of instant response, from the side of voters, joe biden's marks got very high approval ratings when he said that. so, interesting debate all the

way around. so, stage is set for tuesday. >> yep, the veep debate the topping of this morning'sok que. we want to know who you thought won the debate. weigh in at wnnfans.com. president obama watched the debate aboard "air force one" traveling back to the white house after a full day of campaigning. he spoke with the vice president afterward and told reporters he couldn't be prouder of biden. the president also said he believes biden made a strong case about how they plan to grow the economy. mitt romney called runningmate paul ryan and congratulated him on his performance. the president and mr. romney, of course, hold their debate tuesday in new york. a townhall format. the first suit filed in the deadly meningitis outbreak. a minnesota woman who may have gotten the tainted steroid is suing the drug maker. the death toll has risen to 14. officials fear it could go even higher. there are now 170 confirmed cases. federal health experts are warning people who got the shots

they will have to be on the lookout for symptoms over the next come months. investigators in colorado are asking for the public's help in finding a suspect in the kidnapping of jessica ridgeway. what's believed off to be the little girl's body was discovered not far from where she was last seen. positive identification has been made. more difficult by the fact that parts of that body are missing. a michigan businessman pleaded guilty to trying to hire a hit man to kill his wife's murderer. he said he had nothing to do with the strangling death of his wife, jane, back in january. but handyman, joe gentz claimed that he was hired to do it. now authority say that he wanted gentz dead so he couldn't name him in the trial. he has not been charged in his wife's murder. earlier this yaer he actually expressed his grief. >> it is just unthinkable that this happened to her and what she had to suffer. >> sentenced next month. a plea agreement calls for him

to get a minimum sentence of over four years in prison. a warning now about an increasingly dangerous hoax, swatting. bogus 911 calls for crimes so threatening that the s.w.a.t. team responds. one high profile victim was justin bieber. it is hatch penning to real families now as well. there are about 400 swatting incidents a year, nationwide, costing an average $10,000 each time that is how much they waste in valuable police resources. raising fears of accidental shootings. the talker story of the morning here. michael vick admitted he is once again a dog owner. the revelation comes three years of course after vick was released from prison on dog fighting charges. the philadelphia eagles' qb tweeted, his daughter with a box of dog biscuits on the table angering activists. vick says his pet is well cared for and he wants his children to develop a healthy relationship with animals.

>> and, on that note, a little baseball. to the world series. now the fall classic. >> indeed. detroit tigers have booked their place in the american league championship series. they exploded for four runs in the seventh inning to win 6-0. they await the winner of baltimore/yankees. the series is heating up. >> which is going to game five. baltimore tide up the series with the yankees, score of 2-1. each team has two games apiece. they will play a decisive game five today. in the national league division showdown, san francisco over cincinnati. a win first time the team has come back from the 2-0, ds, best of five. washington beet st. louis by a one. that series going to game five today as well. >> very cool. all right, coming up next, just ahead, continuing coverage of last night's vice presidential debate. find out from our political analyst how the candidate did. >> later, a much deserved homecoming.

robin roberts back in her own bed this morning. and an update coming up. ♪ ♪ ♪ things can only get better ♪ believe me this is going to make you stronger ♪ ♪ gonna make you stronger >> announcer: "world news now" weather -- brought to you by no no hair removal. follow the wings.

well now that the debate has wrapped up, the scorecard are in on who had the best hits and where the points were made. >> "nightline" brought in heavyweight political analysts. take a listen and see what marks they gave the veeps. >> i thought what ryan had to do was stand toe to toe with joe biden, the basis for grading him on style. and i thought he closed what was not just a decade's long experience gap, but i thought he closed a gravitas gap. >> i gave him a c-plus. thought he was well-rehearsed. he was stiff and at times he came across like he was memorizing his lines. and that truly, not passionate about what he was saying. >> i thought paul ryan maintained what he needed to do. gave him a c. no energy on paul ryan's part that said, wow, i want to go to battle with him. energy and forceful.e in with he did that. democratic base needed to be energized with passion. energized with tough fight. he did exactly that.

>> so the eye rolling was his biggest problem for the first hour. then the finger wagging, then went after martha raddatz. his voice got louder started screaming his face started bulging. thought he looked like my dad does when he watches an obama press conference. ready to throw something at the tv. >> biden got the job done. he was emotional, connected with the audience onn eissues that a emotional, medicare, how will you pay for it, social security. i thought he was passionate, yeah, laughed a little. smiled a little. he was joe biden. >> he was joe. >> i think the vice president very well knows that sometimes the word don't come out of your mouth the right way. >> but i always say what i mean. >> bottom line, winner. >> ryan. >> biden. >> biden. >> how much does it, make a difference? >> stops the bleeding. makes the race stay still where it is. dead even. sets up a big night that has to happen next tuesday. raises the stakes for next

tuesday night. >> only thing better than debate all the next day pontificating. now in the zone, for a few days. >> we're spinning. up next friday edition of "insomniac theater." >> a big movie weekend. one of the biggest getting oscar buzz. a preview coming up straight ahead. you are watching "world news now."

♪ ♪ >> welcome back, everybody. it is friday morning. that means it is time for "insomniac theater." where we take you -- theater. where we take a look at some of the new movies out this weekend you may want to check out. >> this morning, a look at "seven psychopaths" and a look at "argo" true story, life and death, covert operation, six americans back in 1979.

>> getting great reviews. ben affleck pro ducductioproduc. behind and in front of the camera. remember the storming of the embassy in tehran, taking 52 americans hostage. what we had not known until now is six americans managed to slip away and escape into the home of the ambassador, canadian ambassador, i should say. then ben have fleaffleck comes a man. >> one, there are no more foreign teachers in iran. >> we think everybody, knows hollywood people. there are only bad options. >> this thing is getting great reviews. "usa today" says "argo" the nail biter, also funny. ben a winner. >> "seven psychopaths" a struggling writer dreams of finishing a screen play, in s r

inspiration. 85% favorable ratings. boston herald says "seven psychopaths" is awfully entertaining. >> let's go to the movies. ms kn. ...but most dry foods add plant protein, like gluten iams never adds gluten. iams adds 50% more animal protein, [ dog 2 ] look at me! i'm a lean, mean flying machine [ dog 1 ] i am too! woo hoo! [ male announcer ] iams. with 50% more animal protein. [ dog 2 ] i'm an iams dog for life. not a rabbit. woof!

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covered by 90% of insurance plans, including medicare. find your co-pay at myflexpen.com. welcome back, everyone. now to that incredibly fantastic news about our friend, colleague, robin roberts. she reached a milestone wednesday on her road to recovery. >> robin has left the hospital after weeks of grueling treatment. her doctors, friend, family, cheering her on. here is her co-anchor george stephanopoulos with the full update. >> 30 days ago i walked through these stories. and i am going home. i'm going home. >> reporter: wednesday was celebration day. ♪ amen ♪ you feel it now ♪ amen >> reporter: grateful for the outstanding care she received, robin thanked the nurses and doctors. >> you are rock stars.

>> thank you. >> this is a tremendous step. but robin's road to recovery is far from over. never alone, robin is supported by devoted siblings, butch, sally ann, and a core of caring friend. >> part of the motivation is to come back to you, wonderful, "gma" audience. we have call you family, you never felt more like family. >> reporter: taking her first breath of fresh air in a month. robin stepped out into a crisp fall afternoon. >> it's overwhelming, overwhelming to see the sky. >> reporter: and headed home, stronger. >> whoa! there is no place like home! >> reporter: where robin belongs. her sisters sharing in the joy. >> never lose your sense of "i can do this." all things are possible.

>> it was wonderful bringing her home. on november 23rd, 1960. and it is wonderful to bring her home today. ♪ this is going to make you stronger ♪ >> you can feel her joy. that first breath of fresh air, walking back into your apartment, your own bed, after 30 days inal. her strength and class and graciousness is, is unparalleled. i belief that why she has been rewarded with the recovery there you saw on tape. amazing. >> just when you thought she couldn't get any braver, that response, thank god that she has a strong network around her and that family that is constantly encouraging her. >> faith and family. faith and family. absolutely. and she looks great. >> she looks beautiful. >> looking at her, you want through chemoand 30 days in the hospital. just, it's remarkable story. but you know, we are all thinking about you, robin, praying for you, happy that you are back home, full recovery. one of our favorites, folks,

enjoy that moment. >> amen.

this morning on "world news now" -- the first and only 2012 vice presidential debate produces plenty of sparks and substance. >> the candidates battle it out drawing clear lines on the issues. it's friday, october 12th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good friday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm paula faris. we'll get to the vice presidential debate in a moment with the clashes and everything from taxes, the economy, to abortion, to libya. also this half-hour, from colorado, the fbi is asking the public for any help in finding the kidnapper of 10-year-old jessica ridgeway, as police work to identify what is believed to

be her body. and not in one piece, sadly. >> not the ending anyone wanted for the story. this morning, new evidence the housing rket is heating up there. homes getting snapped up in days. even the return of bidding wars. some positive economic news. later whitney houston's daughter, bobb kristina, about her engagement, her fiance is someone very close to home, extremely close to home. we will have it all coming up in "the skinny." >> huh, bizarre story there. again, is it -- is it really what it is? or little promotion for the reality show that is coming out in a few days later this month. we'll let you decide that one. first, the one and only vice presidential debate last night. joe biden, paul ryan walked out onto the stage. both ready to rumble. >> the two men snickered, smirked, laughed, drank water argued about, use here at home and around the world.

with just 25 days left until the election. >> would you cut me off? i would feel more comfortable? >> what? >> was this debate a significant game changer, abc's karen travers in danville, kentucky with more. hi, karen. >> reporter: good morning, rob and paula. last night's debate covered a wide range of topics in 90 minutes. vice president biden and congressman paul ryan came in ready for battle and made their arguments. no surprise here in kentucky both sides are claiming victory. >> reporter: both vice president biden and congressman ryan aggressively challenged the other ticket's positions. it began on foreign policy and last month's attack on the american consulate in libya. ryan slammed the administration for a slow response. >> it took the president two weeks to acknowledge this was a terrorist attack. >> with all due respect that is a bunch of malarkey. >> reporter: ryan said the obama administration allowed iran to get closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

>> it's because this administration has no credibility on the issue. >> these are the most crippling sanctions in the history of sanctions. >> reporter: president obama was criticized for being too passive in last week's debate. vice president biden seemed determined to not make that mistake. >> shouldn't be surprising for a guy who says 47% of the american people are unwilling to take responsibility for their own lives. >> they pay more effective tax than governor romney pays in his federal income tax. >> reporter: ryan said the obama administration has failed the middle-class. >> we're going in the wrong direction. look at where we are. the economy is barely limping along. >> reporter: side by side at the same table, biden and ryan were not shy about directly engaging each other some times with harsh attacks, some times with humor. >> i think the vice president very well knows that some times the words don't come out of your mouth the right way. >> but i always say what i mean. >> reporter: with the polls tightening, the president need to fire up his base. while mitt romney needs to convert 2008 obama voters.

last night in kentucky, they got a lot of help from their running mates. rob, paula. back to you. >> thank you, karen. as karen alluded to -- polls are tight. dead heat in virginia. obama up one in florida. doing well in ohio up by six. in colorado, romney is ahead by a point now. virginia is still tight. obama is up by five there. wisconsin up by three. so, it really is -- the country watches but really about a cluster maybe, 6, 8 states will make or break this race. romney made up a lot of ground since last week's debate for sure. >> i don't know if this one will move the needle. both appealed to their base really. joe biden didn't make any fatal flaws. and neither did, paul ryan in this one. but you know, let everybody spin it how they want. i looked at six different polls, three gave it to biden. three gave it to paul ryan. >> it's a draw essentially. >> pretty much is a draw. >> again, i know the media's inclination, folk's inclination to pay attention to stylistic issues rather than substantive

one -- the water drinking, laughing, grinning saw more of joe biden's teeth than his dentist last night. look at issues, iran, taxes, abortion, medicare, the role of faith how they govern. there are sharp differences between the two men. i hope people paid attention to that. other than the theatrics of the night. >> martha raddatz, our colleague here at abc. i think she did a fantastic job. really just keeping everybody in check. >> martha. i think she got like 80,000 tweets. some were like "martha should be vice president." we agrae here at abc news. night. martha did a great job last night. good questions. kept them on track. she was great. >> maybe she will be on the ticket with you. >> you never know. the vice presidential debate, of course, is the topic of this morning's facebook question for us. we want to know who you thought won the debate. weigh in. let us know your thoughts at wnnfans.com. >> i think martha won. >> i concur. >> jim lehr didn't. president obama spoke with vice president biden after the debate

and thought biden was quote, terrific, and he could not be prouder of him. last night the president chided mitt romney for calling himself severely conservative and now trying to reinvent himself as a moderate. during a campaign swing through north carolina, mitt romney again, going after the obama administration's handling of the terrorist attack in libya. romney accusing the president of failing to quote, grasp the seriousness of the incident. today romney will hit the trail again joining running mate paul ryan at a rally in lancaster, ohio. it is all about ohio. as we head into the homestretch for the election some pennsylvania voters are getting mixed signals about what is required at the polls come election day. some residents received a newsletter stating they need to show a photo id in order to cast their ballot. it was sent out after last week's court ruling that put the voter id law on hold. >> i just thought it was wrong

that we would get that on the 9th of october, when the decision was made on october 2nd. because it's going to -- dissuade some people from voting. i think it is a movement to suppress the vote. i think it's -- it's scary. >> now some voter registration cards are being delivered with the reminder, erroneously stating that a photo i.d. is required. a pennsylvania election official said confusion likely stemmed from a bureaucratic struggle rather than some kind of right-wing conspiracies. hopefully folks are not confused, head to the polls. the trend has been courts are knocking down voter id laws at least for this. for now. >> because it was rushed. >> because in some states it was a real rush job. can clearly wait until 2016. don't be confused. if you are call ahead. find out what you need to do. no matter what -- go show up. vote on november 6th. >> even if you want to vote for big bird. >> who ever you vote for. show up. the fbi is asking the public for help in solving the disappearance of jessica ridgeway. that colorado girl, disappeared

one week ago on her way to school. now a body believed to be hers has been found. but police have not been able to make a positive identification. based on the type of crime, the fbi says the suspect is most likely a man and likely someone who has had recent unexplained absences. pakistani girl activist shot by the taliban, she is now being treated by the country's top military hospital. she was flown by helicopter and helped on to a stretcher by soldiers that nearly fatal attack on the girl has horrified pakistanis across religious, ethnic, political lines. she was targeted by the taliban for demanding that girls get equal access to education. and they say the next 24 hours after surgery are going to be critical. 10 doctors waiting to see if the extreme swelling in her head will hopefully be reduced. >> amazing some times the role she has taken on in society. what a symbol she has become. at a young age. what she is fighting for,

something we take for granted. she is literally fighting for her life because of the cause there. the doctor said one doctor said the bull effected some parts of the brain. but a 70% chance she well survive. certainly welcome news. all thinking and praying for her. brave little gl. >> for sure. moving on, dozens of american airlines pilots put their labor frustration on display in the nation's capital. the pilots protested at reagan national airport saying the carrier received bankruptcy court approval to reject the cba, they complained, management is implementing new terms that adversely affect their working conditions, pay, and retirement. american's drama continuing. >> here is your friday forecast. this is great isn't it. >> friday. >> even if it is raining it is sunny it is friday. up to 8 inches of mountain snow in colorado and utah areas. showers in the pacific northwest. morning rain, thunderstorms in

los angeles, vegas, and albuquerque. severe storms, chance of tornados around wichita, oklahoma city. summerlike in the south. 80s from dallas to atlanta. midwest, and northeast, cold and windy. they'll be in the 50s. mostly 70s in the rockies. well some might say he has the face only a mother could love. the only problem with that, he is an orphan. >> but this baby walrus would not be alone. the 15-week-old named mitchic. was rescued off the coast of alaska nursed back to health. now the new york aquarium in brooklyn taking him in. baby mitchic will get used to surroundings and then become part of the aquarium walrus exhibit next spring. very nice mustache. >> have to go see that. almost as good as yours, you don't have one. >> you let me know how the trip is. coming up, surprising news in "the skinny." whitney houston's daughter, bobbi-kristina, makes an announcement that will raise eyebrows.

>> big progress on the economic front. looks like the housing market is starting to bounce back. still not the greatest news for some sellers though. it's all next. ♪ our house its a very, very, fine house ♪ ♪ with two cats in the yard ♪ ♪ life used to be so hard >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by united health care. >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by united health care. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i looked at my options. then i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call now and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans,

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all medicare supplement insurance plans help cover what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you thousands a year in out-of-pocket costs. call now to request your free decision guide. and learn more about the kinds of plans that will be here for you now -- and down the road. i have a lifetime of experience. so i know how important that is. yeah, and i took on all the bigger, tougher ones. but now that mr. clean's got this new select-a-size magic eraser, i mean, he can take on any size job. look how easily he gets things cleaned. it's enough to make you cry. you, specifically. not me. i'm just happy we don't go near rex's mobile home as often. because it's hard to clean or because you're scared of an itty-bitty doggy?

[ dog barks ] aah! oh! [ clears throat ] yeah, that was a sneeze. i think i sprayed myself. [ male announcer ] new mr. clean select-a-size magic eraser. lets you pick the right size for every job. some really good news for

the housing market. some really good news for the housing market. foreclosures have taken a sudden nose-dive. hit a five-year low, down 16% in one year. >> a big drop. and strong signs people are ready to buy new homes, bidding wars are now breaking out. here is abc's cecilia vega with the beg housing comeback. >> reporter: oneta parker knows if this is the home for her she better make an offer. these days houses are selling and selling fast. >> we have looked at, i don't know, at least, i want to say 30 properties. >> reporter: so many you can't remember? >> yeah. there is like a bidding war going on. >> kitschekitchen. >> reporter: that's right bidding wars in some pockets of the country. kitchen. >> small kitchen. >> every listing has had multiple offers. >> reporter: 73 bids on this california house alone. it sold in one week for nearly double the asking price. this three bedroom two bathroom house in los angeles suburb has been on the market a couple hours, already take a look at this. dozens of realtors have stopped by to scope out the property for

their hungry clients. what is behind the sudden crush? fewer houses for sale. compared to just a year ago, foreclosures are down, 16%. the last time the numbers were this low was before the recession hit. those days of all those cheap homes driving down prices are ending. >> we have clearly hit the bottom. and i think that's what everybody has been waiting for. >> reporter: there is still a long way to go. many aren't moving because they owe too much on their mortgage and can't afford to sell at these prices. six years ago, the median home price $230,000. today, just above $187,000. whether oneta parker wins the bidding war or not. >> reporter: will you put a bid in on this one? >> most likely. >> reporter: her eagerness to buy is a good sign for homeowners everywhere. cecilia vega, abc news, los angeles. a good sign, but the -- rates of foreclosure highest in the country in florida,

california, illinois, arizona. they're more saturated with the foreclosures. >> grateful for progress. a long way from 2007 when this recession hit though. so, and double the asking price. 73 bid. fantastic news. we'll take progress where we can get it. >> i am still reeling from selling our house in chicago. >> took a hit? >> a big one. >> should have waited. >> eating noodles for the next ten years. >> i like noodles. back to college days. when we come back, what's shaking in "the skinny." >> you're watching "world news

♪ skinny so skinny >> all right, so, we have heard for a long time that whitney houston's daughter bobbi-kristina may have a relationship with her adopted brother, whitney brought in, troubled youth, younger, adopted him into the family the hearing this since february. that there were possibilities of an engagement or they were dating. well now they have a new reality show "the houstons on our own" and going to debut october 24th. in some of the teasers, she is giggling saying we are engaged, referring to nick gordon her adopted brother. and her aunt in the clip says

engagement this is unacceptable. remember, houston, adopted nick when he was just 12 years old. but the rumors have been floating around for a while. a lot of people are wondering whether it is legitimate. you can find out, show debuts october 24th. wouldn't be surprised if it is a publicity stunt. they have tweeted in the past, tweets that make you wonder. like, nighty-night. time for us to go to bed. they have always put that out there they might be a couple. >> there is no blood. just creepy, you know what i mean? >> i had a friend, it was her stepbrother and they ended up dating. there is no blood. >> really? >> it's weird. >> talk amongst yourselves on that one, folks. a rapper got arrest ford having drugs -- stunning news on this friday morning. this time, nellie, i-10 in texas. they found a lot of stuff, 36 baggies of heroin, ten pounds of

weed.45 caliber pistol. one dude on the bus, brian keith jones, took responsibility. was arrested. the rest let go. according to tmz. other people have gotten popped in the same area, willie nelson. snoop dog, and fiona apple. nellie, spoke out, a member of my staff made a decision to bring unlawful materials on the tour bus which resulted in his arrest. went down earlier this week wednesday. busted again. ouch, ouch. >> when you ride new york city subway system, you are bound to find something interesting, and we heard musical renditions. nothing quite like this. take a listen. ♪ you know i wish i had jesse's girl ♪ >> the one and only rick springfield, performing jesse's girl at manhattan's penn station.

asking all his twitter followers to follow him. find out where he is going to be. promoting, his latest album. what a nice treat to hear that. >> jay-z in the subway last week. rick in the subway at penn station. i like it. taking the music to the people. i've been coloring liz's hair for years.

but lately she's been coming in with less gray than usual. what's she up to?

[ female announcer ] root touch-up by nice'n easy has the most shade choices, designed to match even salon color in just 10 minutes. with root touch-up, all they see is you. ♪ monday you can fall apart ♪ tuesday wednesday break my heart ♪ >> and time to look back at the week that was from wild weather to the president being put on the political hot seat. >> a great song, friday i am in love. >> with the weekend. >> we are in love with this, it is time for a look at our memorable week. here is our friday rewind. >> your supporters are saying, this wasn't a bad night. you didn't show up. >> as i said, there is no doubt that i can make a better case which is why i am so looking forward to tuesday. >> is it possible you handed him the election that night? >> no. >> mitt romney taking on our enemies no matter where they nest.

>> these are tough times with real serious issues. you have to scratch your head when the president spend the last week talking about saving big bird. >> how did you find out your name had been mentioned in the debate? >> i got a million tweets. >> so you are on twitter? >> no, i'm a bird. tweeting is how we talk. >> okay. >> i asked for 12 agents. his response to that was -- you are asking for the sun, moon and the stars. >> they can treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart. in my heart, i know i did not do these alleged disgusting acts. >> it is just a tragedy compounded by the fact that we have a man who was convicted and won't come forward. >> to have a shot. six days later, you are fighting for your life. >> these individuals are no different than counterfeiters.

instead of manufacturing fake rolexes, they're manufacturing fake drugs. >> an undeniable web, in doping, sophisticated doping all aimed to succeed and bring success to this team. >> what did you do last weekend? >> water skiing. >> water skiing on the water last weekend. this weekend you are? >> snow boarding. >> we are rescued. we totally may it. >> think you are missing the point. the script says jack dies. he has to die. >> see, physics say, jack could have survived too, would have been a less interesting dramatic movie. jack could have made it. we talked but this earlier -- was that you or sunny? >> that was me, and i didn't care. i still don't care. we have a lot of news this week though. >> it was good, good. good in terms of good stuff to talk about. politics, meningitis, sandusky sentencing. meaty stuff. next week, big presidential debate on tuesday. dominate the headlines next week. always something. why you should always keep it right here on "world news now." >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now," informing

insomniacs for two decades. "wor